Learning from Triss the name of the Madblood Clan's Grand Duke meant Murphy had truly lifted a corner of the ancient world's veil of mystery. But that small answer did nothing to resolve the vampire lord's doubts. Instead, it raised even more questions.
If Salokdar and Veyt Fato had both held respectable, prestigious, and almost absurdly noble jobs before the Era, then how had they abandoned those impressive-sounding pasts when the Era began, only to settle comfortably into a medieval fantasy world as vampire Grand Dukes of shadow and midnight?
And what of the mysterious-sounding terms mentioned in the letter left for his successor—the "Eden District," the "Creation Engine," the "Life Greenhouse," and so on? Murphy was certain few people in this age had ever heard of them.
Along with the vampire Grand Dukes' mysterious pasts, they had all been forgotten by time.
Murphy felt an urge to contact Lord Paine, one of the only two ancients left in vampire society, and demand answers. But he soon realized that he might not get any from Lord Paine, either.
Not just because the Lord might conceal these delicate matters.
More likely, Murphy suspected, Lord Paine himself didn't know much about them.
"It's almost as if they'd been transformed, in both personality and existence, from users of advanced technology into a bunch of medieval barbarians."
Murphy rubbed his brow and muttered:
"I told Triss earlier that I wanted to become a historian specializing in the pre-Era. I'd barely made that wish when Fate, that bitch, hit me with a full 360-degree backhand.
A single glimpse into the past was enough to shatter my worldview. This continent really is hiding something extraordinary."
"What are you talking about?" Triss asked from the visitor hall.
"Did you find something down there? Do you need me